Bicycle



Patented :my l2, |898.'

A. WINTUN.

BICYCLE.

(Application iiled Nov 18, 1895,)

(No Model.)

@mgm/woz MMLQQ Witwe/aow mi :wams uns co. vamo-mno., summon n. c4

'NrrED STATES ALEXANDER wrN'roN, or CLEVELAND, oI-Ho.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,106, dated July 12,1898. Y Application filed November 18, 1895. Serial No. 569 ,345. v(NomodelJ To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER WINTON, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Bicycles; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bicycles and pertains to a meansfor adjust.

ably securing the handle-bar within the head of the machine.

The object of my invention is to provide aninternal holding or securingmeans for the handle-bar which avoids the necessity of any externalclamp or visible means for holding the handle-bar, permitting a muchneater finish at the top of the steering-head, and at the same timeproviding a readily-adjustable and efficient means for holding thehandlebar in its vertical adjustment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a vertical section of asteering-head, showing my invention applied thereto in connection withthe stem of the handle-bars. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view ofthe expanding clamping-head. Fig. 3'is a separate view of the handle-barstem. Fig. 4 is a detail.

A indicates the upper end or headof the front forks, and B the tube,rigidly secured thereto and forming the stem which passes through thesteering-head and to which tube or stem B the stem of the handle-bar issecured. v

C is the steering-head of the frame of the bicycle, having at its upperand lower ends the ball-races D in the usual manner.

The tube B, which is rigidly secured at its lower end to the cross-headof the front forks, as before stated, is provided at its upper end withthe external screw-threaded portion E, which receives the cap F, formingthe upper bearing of the steering-head.

The stem G of the handle-bars H is provided with a longitudinal slot I,which permits of the stem being expanded in circumference, as will bereadily understood, and this stem Gr iits within the tube B of the fronthaving an expanding clamping-head K at its I upper end,with thehandle-bar stem opposite the cap F, which cap forms a finishing for thesteering-head and also the upper bearing, as before stated. Thisexpanding clampinghead is provided with a vertical opening, the lowerend of which has a screw-threaded portion M, and the upper end istapered, as shown at N, to receive the tapered portion O of the rod ortube Q. Below the tapered portion O of this rod or tube is ascrew-threaded portion P, engaging the screw-threaded portion M of theexpanding head. For the purpose of lightness the rodor stem Q ispreferably a tube with a plugat its upper end forming the screw-threadedportion P and the tapered part O and a plug at its lowerend,brazedthereto, forming an angular operating portion or member a. This angularmember ct extends slightly below the cross-head of the front forks,Where itcan be readily operated by means of a Wrench for the purpose ofrotating it. Y

The operation of my invention is as follows: Thev handle-'bar stem beinginserted within the front-fork stem B4 to the desired adjustment, awrench is applied to the angular member.a,thus rotating thescrew-threaded portion P, which forces the tapered part O within thetapered opening of the clampinghead K, thus expanding it and forcing itoutward against the interior of the slotted stem C of the handle-bars.The upper end of the Vfront-fork tube B is preferably slitted a shortdistance, so that when the stem G of the handle-bars is expanded outwardthe upper end of this tube is also slightly expanded within the cap F,thus clamping the cap in its adj usted position atthe same time that thehandle-bar stem is clamped within the front-fork stem. The expansion ofthe clamping-head K, it will be seen, firmly holds the stem within thefront-fork tube B, so that it cannot rotate independent thereof, and byturning the operating or angular member ct in the opposite direction theexpanding clamping head K will collapse, thus permitting the handle-barsIOO to be moved up and down, as desired, to secure the verticaladjustment thereof, as will be clearly understood.

While I have shown and described the rod Q with a tapered end forexpanding the clamp or collar by engagement with the :internal openingtherein, it will be readily understood that this construction may bereversed-that is, the opening may be tapered and the rod straight-whichwould effect the same result without varying the mechanical operation ofmy device or departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. A handle-bar clamp for bicycles, comprisin g a clamp connected withand supported by the front forks, said clamp extending within thehandle-bar stem but independent thereof, substantially as described.

2. A handle-bar clamp for bicycles, con1- prising a clamp situatedwithin the handlebar stem at a point opposite the upper steering-headbearing-cone, and a supporting connection between said clamp and thefront forks, substantially as described.

3. In a handle-bar clamp, the combination of a steering-tube, ahandle-bar tube therein, a clamp-support extending upward fromthe lowerportion of the steering-tube within and independent of the handle-bartube or stem, a clamp carriedA by said support, and an operating deviceextending downward from the said clamp to a point below thesteering-tube fork to be operated.

4. The combination of a steering-fork, and stem or tube, ahandle-bartube therein, an upwardly-extending tube within the handlebar tubehaving an open lower end, an expanding clamp at the upper end of thetube, and an operating-rod extending upward within the clamping-tube,andengaging the clamp, the lower end of the rod extending below the fork tobe operated.

5. The combination of a steering-tube having a slit at its upper end, abearing-cone surrounding said slitted end, a slitted handlebar tubewithin the steering-tube, and an expanding clamp supported within thehandlebar tube at the upper end of the steeringtube, whereby thehandle-bar and the bearing-cone are clamped thereby.

6. In a handle-bar clamp, the combination of the steering-forks, thesteering-head, the handle-bar tube or stem, an expansible clampsupported within the handle-bar stem, a support for the said clampconnected with the steering-forks, and an expanding device movableendwise by rotation, the expanding device or clamp having a taperedengaging surface for the purpose described.

7. A handle-bar clamp comprising an expansible collar, a supporttherefor, one of' said members having a screw-threaded portion, anexpanding device consisting of a screwthreaded rod engaging saidscrewthreads of one of the members, the said r'od or expansible clamphaving tapered engaging surface, for the purpose described.

S. In 4a bicycle, the combination of the steering-tube, the handle-bartube therein, an expansible bushing movable Within and independent ofsaid handle-bar tube, and a screw-threaded rod, the rod and bushingcarrying tapered engaging surfaces for expanding the independentbushing.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER WINTON.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. BROWN, JOHN G. WAY.

